“You motherfucker,” I growl and go to step towards him, but the blade digging into my neck nicks my skin, and I halt my movements.
“You’re notorious for working alone. For killing alone. And now, you’re going to die alone, too.”
FORTY-NINE
COLE
“Only, she’s not alone anymore,” I say, stepping out of the shadows where I’ve been observing for the last couple of minutes. Roan spins around, his gun that was previously pointed at Lana now aimed directly at my head.
Good.
Lana’s wide eyes meet mine, her mouth dropping open before she swiftly hides her surprise.
“Aw, how sweet,” Callum Richardson says with a grin. “Your boyfriend has come to die by your side.”
I chuckle. “Hey, little menace.”
“What thefuckare you doing here,” she grunts, and I don’t bother to hide my smile.
Fuck, it’s good to see her.
“I came for what belongs to me.”
She narrows her eyes, and we both ignore the three sets of eyes that are drilling into us while we speak. “And what might that be?”
“You,” I say. As we’ve been talking, I’ve slowly beengetting closer and closer to Roan, and now that he’s just a few inches away from me, I can do what I need to do.
“I told you, you’re mine. And I’ll fight for you, always.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, my arm darts out and I grab hold of the gun that’s pointed towards me. His shocked eyes meet mine, but he’s too slow to react. I pull the gun from his grip and turn it on him, not even blinking as I pull the trigger.
Callum and Brice cry out, but I just pull the trigger again for good measure. The last thing I need is for him to still be breathing and I’m not exactly a pro at this whole murdering thing just yet.
Brice stays where he is, his knife still at Lana’s throat, but Callum moves toward me, a gun of his own now in his hand and aimed at me.
I throw my hands up wide, dropping the gun to the floor at my feet.
“Two of my sons are dead, and now the two of you are going to die,” he says, his tone cold and emotionless. “Tell me, little Alana Jameson. Do you remember how your father died? Or were you too young?”
I glance over at my girl, and my blood boils as I see the rage in her eyes. I still don’t know her entire story, but like fuck do I want to find out like this. I don’t want her having her past thrown in her face like this, forcing her to relive it.
He laughs a grating laugh, and it makes goosebumps pebble on my skin.
“Do you even know the full story of what happened? Did Daddy Riko tell you about how your father sold you to me? Your father owed me a debt after he got in over his head with gambling habits, and when the interest got too high and hedidn’t want to pay me the money, he gave me you as a gift instead. He could have gone to his wife, since your mother inherited more money than he could have ever imagined, but the bastard had too much pride and instead of admitting his failures, he tried to play it off like you had gone missing. You were so beautiful, and only three years old. Unfortunately, you were only in my presence for mere minutes before you were taken away and never to be seen from again. By the time Riko had gotten you to safety and thought you were secure enough with his men to leave, your father had been killed, and your mother and brothers had died in a house fire.” He grins wickedly, and bile crawls its way up my throat before I look towards Lana.
Her expression is blank, but I can see past the smoke and mirrors. I can see the pain in her eyes, the hurt and confusion. I can see the anger.
She didn’t know the full story.
I look to the left of the room, needing Dare and Logan to hurry the hell up so I can get Lana out of here. I can tell just by looking at her that she’s on the verge of giving up, the fight just draining right out of her. But I need her to stay strong for just a couple more minutes, just long enough for us to get out of here so I can save her from herself.
FIFTY
LANA
Past and present begins to blur together as I picture my family. I don’t have many memories from when I was younger, but I do remember being happy. I remember playing with my brothers, and how they would laugh when I would mispronounce their names. I remember how much my mom loved me, loved all of us.
I also remember the fights, the way my brothers would take me away from my parents when my father started shouting.
I remember bruises on her skin and on my eldest brother’s face.
